Because of the recommendation of a co-worker, I started watching "When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Parts" on HBO On Demand (I've watched through Part III). It's a Spike Lee documentary, and it's...amazing. It's biased (but it's a documentary, not a news report)...and it's hard to watch, and it's certainly not for children. But if you want to hear from survivors and be exposed to viewpoints that didn't make the evening news, it's well worth the watch.
Challenge Goals: *10 minutes of unplanned exercise five times a week *Gym time twice a week *Socialize at least once every two weeks.
Last night, I watched Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers" on DVD rental. It was well done (a logistical nightmare for a director, I would expect) and expectedly difficult to watch. Sometimes, what was hard to watch wasn't what I was expecting; one of the major characters is an American Indian, and the racism directed at him (even though he was a "war hero") was really hard to take. Also, seeing how the military guys who were survivors of Iwo Jima were so tortured once home about what they did and saw there.
I have the other one (Letters from Iwo Jima, from the Japanese perspective) here to watch next. I wanted to see them together so I could relate the two perspectives.
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
I think the last movies I went to were Charlotte's Web (what a tear-jerker!!), Painted Veil (good) and a French movie called Hors du Prix (with Audrey Tautou, quite funny)
I don't watch tv that much, but the whole family enjoys some imported thing labeled America's Funniest Home Videos, and another favorite is Shaun the Sheep (BAAA!!)
****************** “The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.”
also suggest "things you can tell just by looking at her" and "nine lives"--beautiful shorts about women. strong characters. boy could i relate. at blockbusters.
saw "You Kill Me" a few weeks ago---4 stars! Waitress is also just excellent.
Goals: 1. Stop thinking like a chronic dieter and start living to inspire. 2. HALT (hungry, anxious, lonely, tired) I will stop and tune in with myself should I experience these things, and respond with something healthy. 3. One word 2008: courage 4. Eat slow and mindfully.
Originally posted by Lori4squaremom: [...]it is rated PG but there was a lot of cursing in it (for a PG rating). [...] it was a very good movie. I loved the theme of the movie.....it was great!
I know what you mean. There are a lot of great movies out there that have been spoiled for me by the language and it adds nothing to the movie.
"Live your life so that you are not afraid to sell the family parrot to the town gossip."
Posts: 4044 | Location: NE Atlanta (Chamblee, Doraville, Norcross, Duluth) | Registered: March 15, 2004
Yesterday afternoon we watched Astronaut Farmer with Billy Bob Thornton. Thankfully our kids were off swimming and didn't watch the movie with us.....it is rated PG but there was a lot of cursing in it (for a PG rating). I was so disheartened by that!!!! While the three younger kids won't be watching it in it's DVD format (we'll wait until it comes out on tv), it was a very good movie. I loved the theme of the movie.....it was great!
Blessings,
Lori
Re-committing myself to a healthy lifestyle that will include regular (and increasing) exercise, and following the baby steps rule on food. 6/17/08
Posts: 3148 | Location: California | Registered: March 11, 2004
Saturday night, I watched a movie called Half Nelson on DVD rental. It is a gritty story about a high school history teacher and girls basketball coach who cares but has a lot of baggage. He teaches in a predominantly-minority school and is a passionate and engaging teacher, but he is addicted to freebasing so he is sometimes "all there" when he's teaching and sometimes not, depending on when he last got high and how high he got.
The story focuses on his relationship with one of his basketball girls who is in a sad situation with a loving-but-hard-working single mom and a dad who is supposed to pick her up from school/practice but never does. The coach ends up taking her home most nights and they form a friendship. He sees that she is just on the edge of being sucked into the drug-dealing culture by a family friend (he knows the guy, because he buys drugs from him), and he is desperate to keep her from being drawn into the same dark world he himself can't seem to escape.
It is an excellent film and beautifully acted. There are no "big stars" but it is a marvelous, though very depressing, film. It isn't weepy, it is just very heart heavy...you want to help him straighten up and you want to help her stay straight.
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
I just watched Charlotte's Web on DVD rental. Amazingly sweet and visually beautiful, I really enjoyed it even though I haven't been a kid in a LONG time.
And of course it is weepy toward the end and when the credits roll, they play Sarah McLachlan singing "Ordinary Miracle." I LOVE Sarah and had already seen/heard her sing the song on Oprah. When I heard it again within the context of the movie, it touched me so deeply.
The extras on the DVD are fun, too. I was born in the year E.B. White wrote the book of Charlotte's Web and I had never read it (at least not to my memory) so it was a fresh story for me whereas, for most of you (or your children), it probably seemed like a familiar friend.
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
As a family we've been watching "Pirate Master" and we are enjoying it, although it is VERY repetitive. It's funny because dh and ds both LOVE the current captain because he's such a cunning and competitive player. The girls and I all hate him because we see "cunning and competitive" as "total jerk!"
Dh, Rebekah and I have been watching Traveler....it is good, but I don't see how they can possibly go beyond one, MAYBE 2 seasons with it.
Dh Rebekah and I are anxiously awaiting the season premieres of Monk and Psych.
Other than those shows, the only other things that we watch on a regular basis are: "Take Home Chef", an occasional Ellie Krieger show, I Love Lucy reruns, and Boy Meets World and Duck Dodgers reruns
Blessings,
Lori
Re-committing myself to a healthy lifestyle that will include regular (and increasing) exercise, and following the baby steps rule on food. 6/17/08
Posts: 3148 | Location: California | Registered: March 11, 2004
I've become really into Shaq's Big Challenge. It's filmed and presented more as a documentary than a "reality show," and watching Shaq take on The Man has been (so far) really enjoyable...and I find myself really, really rooting for the kids.
Challenge Goals: *10 minutes of unplanned exercise five times a week *Gym time twice a week *Socialize at least once every two weeks.
Just finished watching "Notes on a Scandal" on DVD rental. I saw this in the theatre and found it an interesting story amazingly acted. I enjoyed it just as much the second viewing. Dame Judi Dench is a marvel.
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Just watched "Music & Lyrics" on DVD rental. It's cheesy but I liked it quite a lot.
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
